Into the Black
by hollyhobbit101
Summary: "Lumos," Harry whispered, but it did no good. The darkness surrounded him, preventing him from seeing two feet in front of his face despite his wand shining dimly in front of him.


**For the Houses Competition. Thanks to the mods for another amazing year! **

**House: Ravenclaw**

**Subject: Charms**

**Category: Drabble**

**Prompt: Nox**

**Word count: 736**

* * *

Harry backed up slowly, his wand providing the only sliver of light in the oppressive blackness of the room. He knew the others were around here somewhere, but it was as though the dark had swallowed them. Harry couldn't see anything beyond the weak circle that extended about a foot from his body.

His back hit something warm and solid, and he whipped around to grab it, only to come face to face with Ron, his eyes wide and his mouth open in a silent scream. The tense line of Ron's shoulders relaxed once he realised who Harry was, but his face still belied how terrified he truly was.

"How did we end up here, Harry?" Ron asked, voice shaking.

"Beats me," Harry said, keeping a firm grip on Ron's sleeve to make sure they didn't lose each other again. He barely even knows where _here_ is, just that it's full of some kind of invisible creature that wants to kill them. He silently cursed the Ministry for sending them there; 'Hogwarts' best' his ass - it seemed to Harry like they were trying to get rid of them.

"Any plans on finding a way out?"

"Where are the others?" Harry asked instead, knowing that Ron already knew the answer to his own question. As far as anyone could tell, they were trapped. There must be an exit somewhere, but the dark was keeping them blind to it.

Harry felt rather than saw Ron deflate. "I don't know," he said. "One minute we were all together, and then suddenly we weren't." He shivered. "It's this place, Harry, it's playing tricks with us. Like it's _alive_."

Harry sucked in a breath. "It is," he whispered, dread stealing through him. "You're right, Ron, it's alive, I can feel it."

Ron shuddered. "Oh, good. Glad we cleared that up."

Now that he was more aware of what the room was, Harry could sense things in a way he hadn't been able to before. Like the sense of something constantly watching them, or the vague sensation of almost-breath on the back of his neck, which he'd previously chalked up to wind. He thrust his wand out as far as he could reach, but he still saw nothing but endless black. He let out a shaky breath, turned to where Ron seemed to be standing, only then realising that his was the only illuminated wand.

"Ron," he murmured, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. "Where's your wand?"

Ron made a noise that was somewhere between a sigh and a squeak. "I'm holding it, Harry."

"Then why isn't it lit up?"

"It was," Ron said, defeat in his tone. "But whatever's in here, or whatever here is - we think it feeds on magical energy...or something. I don't know, it was something Hermione said before we got separated, but all out wands were going out. Yours is flickering now, look."

Harry looked away from Ron, seeing that his was was indeed beginning to flicker, the light getting dimmer and dimmer with every second that passed. His mouth grew dry with fear, but he tried to push it down until they'd figured this out.

"So your wand is useless now?" he asked, bringing his wand up so that he could just about see Ron's face.

Ron nodded. "Something else Hermione said, she thought that this thing is only operating off sight. So it can't hear us or smell us, but it can see our wands. She thought if we turned the lights off before it got us, then it wouldn't be able to get to full strength. Mine had already gone off by then, and Neville's, too, but Ginny's and Hermione's were still working."

"Did it work?"

Ron shrugged helplessly. "Dunno, mate. We got separated just after that." He hesitated, pale in the ever-dimming light of Harry's one. "What d'you think happens if it does? Get to full strength I mean?"

Harry pursed his lips. "I don't know. But I'm not particularly interested in finding out, either." He considered his wand, noticing just how low the light was now. "You think turning the light off is the only way we can get out of here?"

"That's what Hermione said."

"Alright, then." Harry breathed out shakily, then nodded at Ron, their eyes meeting in understanding. Both of them stared at the wand, Harry readjusting his grip and holding it out defensively.

"_Nox."_


End file.
